Nox and Black: Forward to the Past
by SkippingPumpkin
Summary: Two modern witches find themselves thrown into the Marauders Era and decide to rewrite history.
1. Chapter 1: An Honest Mistake

**Chapter 1: An Honest Mistake  
**

While Cassieopeia would forever declare "_We _blew up a time turner", Riley would in return forever consider their trip through time and space her fault. She was also ridiculously proud of that fact; she liked being proud of originality rather than actual success.

It began with a walk through the woods. Riley led the way, her tall figure cut in two by the blue scarf wrapped around her waist in an attempt to highlight the hourglass shape of her figure. Her brown hair trailed wildly down her back, curling even more madly as she ruffled it uncomfortably and squinted her grey-green eyes up at the cloudy sky. Her general appearance was unusual; a hawkish nose, small almond eyes, a rounded face. Not that it was easy to look at her as she hopped about the tree roots.

Cassieopeia was taking her time only slightly more than Riley and only because her shorter legs had a more difficult time with the tree roots. Cassieopeia was about the opposite of Riley in most ways; with long pretty blonde hair, a thin face and fox like nose, an evil grin with an adorable gap between the two front teeth. Her blue grey eyes reflected the sky and-when the mischievous smile fade—they rested in a very cute face.

"You know, if you could figure out that enlargement charm, we could do these things in a basement and I wouldn't have to give up on my dream of becoming the world's fattest woman." Riley complained, jumping around rather hyperactively.

"What do you mean?" Cassieopeia asked, glancing around for a meadow or pond or some other large space.

"I mean, we get a lot of exercise trudging out into the middle of nowhere all the time." Riley replied, throwing her hands in the air in mock despair. "Look at my robes! They're soaked!"

"That's because you insisted on wearing full Muggle clothes underneath them." Cassieopeia observed, changing course as she spotted a nice gap in the trees. She herself was wearing only her Muggle clothes, her robes remaining safely in her pack.

"I was cold." Riley sighed. "And I will be again, as soon as we stop… which we are. Hurray!"

"You're a witch, Riley." Cassieopeia pointed out. "Build a fire."

"You think we're far enough from the Muggles?" Riley wondered. She pulled out her wand and frowned for a moment, trying to sense the spell that forbid underage wizards from performing magic in Muggle society; the American version of the trace. "Yep. And here's a campfire spot. How nice. Incendio."

"When you're warm and toasty again, mind giving me the time turner?" Cassieopeia asked, placing several other magical items in the middle of the clearing.

"What did you bring again?" Riley asked. "I remember your theory but…"

"I went for simple." Cassieopeia replied, pulling out a notebook and quill. "We want to see the past. Time turner for past. Crystal ball for seeing."

"Well, try it then." Riley said with a shrug, flicking her wand at the fire and making it spark dozens of strange colors. Her mind was preoccupied with her own ideas. "And remember; I stole that thing from my brother and—"

"I know, I know." Cassieopeia muttered. She returned to scowling from her notes to the two objects. "How were you going to combine the powers? I was thinking—"

"Hang on." Riley cut her off with a gesture and spoke several spells quickly, ending with "Cave Inimicum." She turned back to her friend, flick her long curly hair out of her face. "Concilio. Or Coeo Unisco."

"Hmmm…" Cassieopeia replied. "I was thinking Unose Ostendite."

Riley nodded. "More specific. I'd start with that. Accio Marshmallows. Oh, don't look at me like that. Do your experiment and let me do mine and you can have one of them." Riley caught the bag of marshmallows as it zoomed past. "Accio stick." She settled down to roast her marshmallows. Cassieopeia ignored her.

Cassieopeia began her experiment by pulling on her robe, knowing that magic was likely to get messy and that her robe was the least favorite of the clothes she had with her. Pulling back her pretty blonde hair, she knelt down in front of the two magical items and frowned deeply before placing the clear ball on top of the time turner and pronouncing her spell. The ball glittered but only showed a picture of the time turner. Cassieopeia rolled her eyes and spoke Riley's spells one by one, but the picture in the glass ball only went blank. Finally she took her ball and walked to the bright purple fire, where Riley was attempting to spell stick marshmallow off her hands without getting it on her wand.

"Your turn."

"Watch the fire."

Riley pulled out an assortment of magical and nonmagical objects and began combining them with the time turner and a variety of spells. By the time the marshmallows were done roasting, the time-turner was spellotaped to a foe glass and sitting in the remains of Riley's previous attempt which included a pile of floo powder and dragon's blood.

"Did you simply bring every magical object you could think of?" Asked Cassieopeia.

"Forgot the Remembrall." Riley joked.

"And what was the floo powder supposed to do?" Cassieopeia asked.

"Magic."

"Haha." Cassieopeia said flatly. She popped a marshmallow in her mouth and frowned thoughtfully, placing the empty stick in the fire. "Put the crystal ball in place of the foe glass and picture something."

With steady steps, Cassieopeia moved the fire to the set up around the time turner, watching as Riley hurriedly added several spells to their protective nexus. When Riley gave her the nod, Cassieopeia blanked her mind and lowered the stick to the pile of floo powder.

Nothing happened.

The powder burned green, of course, but the time turner didn't seem affected and no picture of the past appeared. Riley groaned loudly.

"So much for seeing the war of You-Know-Who." She said, collapsing onto her back. The fire flickered but there was no change in the other objects.

"Well, we don't really know enough about time-turners." Cassieopeia pointed out. "Or any magical objects, really." Riley grunted. "I can sense something happening though. Maybe all the spells you cast are blocking the picture?"

Riley, remaining flat on her back, raised her wand arm and commanded "Partis Temporus."

WUMP.

"What is that?" Cassieopeia asked nervously.

"It's coming from the time-turner?" Riley guessed. She looked nervously at the edge of the field where light was beginning to gather around the spot at which she'd pointed her wand.

WUMP. WUMP. WUMP.

"Oh, no. Oh, no." Riley said calmly. "I do not know the counterspell for my counterspell."

"Do something!" Cassieopeia yelped as she pulled her wand, backing away from the noise of the time turner.

"Aaah. Aaaah. Oh!" Without a second thought, Riley dashed toward the middle of the field, scooped up the flaming timeturner, and tossed it toward the glowing light.

For a second it disappeared.

Then the entire meadow exploded into purple fire.

When it cleared, Riley and Cassieopeia were gone, leaving behind only a large crater in the forest floor.


	2. Chapter 2: Second Chance

**Chapter 2: Second Chance  
**

Cassieopeia woke first, coughing from the dust clouds that surrounded her and a tight feeling similar to the aftereffects of Apparating. She opened her eyes to squint through the haze but all she could see was her own battered body. There were bits of glass and purple dust caught in her robes and shoes; one piece of glass had lodged itself in her wand hand, but she ignored the pain. A few seconds of waving at the dust and patting the ground led her to her wand and soon she had righted the wound and created a mild breeze so that she might find her friend.

This was not easy to do.

While the clouds around them were of dirt disturbed by the time turner, the ground was spattered with purple dust—a mixture of floo powder and sand from the time turner touched by Riley's magic flames. Riley, having been right at the center of the blast, was completely coated with the thick dust and Cassieopeia mistook her for a pile of dirt as she looked desperately for a sign of life in their surroundings.

"Riley?"

A weak croak answered. "Did we blow up the universe?"

"No, Riley."

"Did we blow up the galaxy?" Riley asked, her eyes still closed against the muck coating her face.

"Riley, get up."

Riley obeyed slowly, her wand still in her hand as she fought for balance against her woozy head. "Did we blow up America?"

"For Pete's sake, Riley; open your eyes."

"America?"

The girls whipped around but they couldn't see where the strange voice had come from. Riley tapped her ears with the palm of her hand as Cassieopeia doubled her efforts of clearing the air. Riley attempted to shake out her robes but quickly found herself to be negating Cassieopeia's work and instead began to walk toward where the strange voice had come from.

"More this way, Miss." The voice said curiously. Riley shrugged and turned more to her left. "That's right. Watch for the step up."

"Black, move your butt on this way." Riley called through a cough, narrowly missing walking into the edge of the crater they'd created. "Oh!"

"Hmmm…" The old man with twinkly eyes and a bumpy nose replied. "You are younger than I expected."

"I'm sixteen." Riley told him. "We're sixteen."

The old man looked surprised but simply nodded. "You're still young to have come such a long way… And with such strong magic." His face turned stern and Riley blushed at the disapproval in his voice as he continued. "Though too old to be so reckless."

"Oh? As if you never did anything foolish when you were young?" Riley snapped. The old man's eyes grew sad for a moment, but he smiled at the truth of her words. "You don't even know what happened." She pointed out, her voice slightly more polite.

"You attempted to mess with a time turner and took an unintentional trip from your home in America to Great Britain on August 5th, 1976." The old man stated confidently. "And you have some knowledge that, if you so choose, could help a great many people."

Riley looked at him suspiciously, but Cassieopeia called out from the dust. "'76? During the first British Wizarding War? But that means we almost did it!"

Riley saw the man's eyes flicker at the word 'first' but he simply nodded. "You've learned of our wars?" The two girls nodded, Riley's head giving off a puff of purple. "So Voldemort…?"

"Harry Potter destroyed his horcruxes and destroyed him." Riley said helpfully. Then she frowned. "Did I just break time?"

"I'm afraid..." The old man said. "That the break in time you two just made is quite a bit worse than the normal use of a time turner. You are meddling with more than time: you have created a new branch of it."

"So yes. We broke time." Riley groaned. "Well, that's awesome. I don't suppose you can get us back?"

"You have some time." The old man told them. "To reopen the door. Or you could take what you know of your past and… apply it."

"Apply it." Cassieopeia repeated. "As in… change it?"

"As in prevent the second half of a war and the whole second war?" Riley said skeptically.

"Yes."

"We would save so many lives." Cassieopeia said softly. "So much pain."

"Your father's family have probably already fled England." Riley mused. "And all the good things that come of it? Like the elves' rights? And… that other British stuff?" Cassieopeia gave her friend a knowing look. "What? Muggle history is more interesting!"

Cassieopeia glanced at the strange old man but he said nothing. Cassieopeia looked back to her friend. "What do you think, Nox?"

"I really don't see how we can say no to saving lives." Riley shrugged. "As long as you help us, I suppose." She told the old man. "Because I would like to avoid being locked up in a looney bin for talking about Star Wars or something."

"I will help." The man said. "If you agree, I think, to further training before you go looking for trouble. You are not yet of age, you've said, and I cannot… I cannot send you against such evil without as much help as you can get."

"Settles it for me." Riley said. She looked thoughtfully into the clouded crater. "I'mma salvage what I can from our little experiment."

Cassieopeia watched her friend disappear and turned to the old man. "But how will you train us?"

"I happen to run a school." The man said, looking at the small girl over his half-moon glasses. Cassieopeia's eyes widened in recognition. "Though as with every school, the same might be said of my students." He laughed. "Which you will now become… if you would give me your names so that I may put you down as transfers?"

"I'm Cassieopeia Black." Cassieopeia Black told him, ignoring a loud pop from the direction Riley had wandered off in. "And you're Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts."

"And Iiiii'm Riley Perenelle Nox." Riley declared, reappearing with two backpacks and the bag of marshmallows. She grinned happily and popped one of the sticky treats into her mouth.

"You're not going to eat that all yourself, are you?" Cassieopeia said, sounding a little apprehensive.

Riley's purple face scowled right back. "I'm stressed."

"Riley…" Cassieopeia shook her head, trying not to smile.

"Cass-ie-opeia!" Riley said indignantly. "We just broke the time-space continuum; you cannot judge me for a little bag of marshmallows."

The two friends attempted to glare at each other for a moment before turning back to Dumbledore. "Are we ready to go, then?" He asked politely.

"Yes, sir." Cassieopeia said, slightly in awe now that she knew who she was dealing with.

"Imf you insihsh." Riley said with a mouthful of marshmallows; she was not usually impressed by magical abilities. "Mmf. And then we should discuss what we know."

"You are quite right, Miss Nox." The headmaster said seriously. "But first, if you would take my arm?"

The two girls did so and for the second time in what seemed like a few minutes, they were whisked away.


	3. Chapter 3: New Faces

**Chapter 3: New Faces  
**

Riley Nox sat on the train and stared out the window at the families saying goodbye. She and Cassieopeia had apparated into the station an hour early, meaning to avoid any notice of their obvious lack of family. Dumbledore thought it best if they avoid suspicion and enter Hogwarts as students; it would allow them full access to the halls as they searched for the Horcrux and Horcrux destroying Basilisk that they had been taught resided there. He had provided them with gold, pets, and schoolbooks and the password to his office; the rest was up to them.

Because even with all his help, they hadn't been willing to tell Dumbledore everything; Riley and Cassieopeia had realized quickly that one wrong person finding their plan could destroy it. They had not told Dumbledore more than they had to and he, in return for the two of them training at his school and taking his advice, had agreed to tell no one—no matter how trusted—of their plan. As Riley pointed out, it would take one slip of the word 'horcrux' and Voldemort would move his pieces of soul to a safer spot. One mention that Riley and Cassieopeia were from a time when he was defeated and they would likely be taken captive and plied for information. The two witches could not begin to describe the horrors of Voldemort finding out the truth about Harry too early, of the Dark Lord completely avoiding both his first and second fall. As it was, they told nothing of the prophecy to their new headmaster and called Harry Potter simply 'Plan B'.

The door to the compartment opened and Riley smiled distractedly as strangers filed in. She didn't think they were the boys she was supposed to watch for, but it didn't hurt to be a little friendly. They might know those boys… Riley sighed and shook her head. Dumbledore had told them that, of course, he didn't know where the horcrux might be hidden and all they knew was that it was at Hogwarts. And so they were pointed to a group of students who, Dumbledore claimed, had explored every inch of the castle and were to be persuaded by any means necessary to search for the horrid item.

"You're new." A voice accused.

"Mmm." Riley said, turning with a frown. "Oh, yes, I suppose I am."

The short boy raised an elegant chin and gave her a handsome smile. "Well, I'm Mulciber."

Riley frowned for a moment, unsure if this was a first or last name. "Nox." She said finally. A small smile peaked through her uncertainty. "Riley Nox."

"This is Avery and Wilkes." Mulciber pointed to two other boys and Riley promptly forgot both their names and faces. "And this is…"

"Rosier." A tall thin boy with a lazy and superior smile finished for him, sitting next to Riley. "Shut the door, will you, Mulch?"

"Aye, sir." Grumbled Mulciber. "Where's Snivelly?"

Rosier snorted, "Hopefully far enough away that he didn't hear you call him that. Or did you want another Amortentia snuck in your breakfast?" Mulciber's good-looking grin twisted into a scowl at this and the other boys laughed. Rosier turned back to Riley. "What house are you in? Slytherin, right?"

"I really don't know." Riley said uncomfortably. Of course, the Slytherins were the first people to find her. "Dumbledore hinted that I would turn up in either Slytherin or Gryffindor." She lied easily; he'd basically commanded them to end up in Gryffindor. "I really don't see the point of these silly houses, honestly."

The Slytherin boys were staring at her, puzzled at how to react to this. Finally, one of the boys whose name she did not remember spoke up.

"How are we supposed to know if you're worth talking to or not?"

Riley rolled her eyes. "I really don't mind either way; I have what—two years? I'm not going to let it determine who I talk to. Or spy on." She winked at Rosier, whose brow immediately furrowed in deep thought. "You can't tell me now Slytherin has friends outside his house?" She added.

"Sni-Snape." Mulciber admitted.

"Yeah, Snape."

"He's moved on, though."

Snape. Riley frowned; she should probably know that name. She shook her head. "Where is he?"

"Late?" Rosier guessed as the train began to move out of the station.

"Or bugging Potter." One of the unremarkable ones declared.

"Or Potter killed him." Mulciber said, not sounding very concerned.

"Oh, as if Potter could take any Slytherin." Rosier scoffed.

"Mmmm." Riley agreed, watching the world begin to speed past. What was with the Potter family? She wondered. Nothing had even happened with them, and already people were obsessed with that name.

"So, Nox…" Rosier said, calling her back into conversation after about twenty minutes of window staring. She glanced back to find that a new boy had joined the compartment; he was showing no interest in her or anyone. "What is it that brings you to Hogwarts?"

"Same thing that brings me to England." Riley said, copying their superior tone. "My dad's job moved out here."

"Oh? What does he do?" One of the boys Riley had decided to call 'the Dullson Twins' asked.

"Oh, this and that." Riley said awkwardly. "You know… just general work. My mom's was a Healer but I don't think she's starting anything."

"Moved from where?" Rosier asked curiously, obviously wondering why his idiot friends hadn't asked that immediately.

"You can't tell from my accent?" Riley teased. "The U.S., of course."

"Huh."

For the rest of the train ride, Riley filled with questions about Britain and Hogwarts, terrified of what would happen if anyone asked her for details on her story. She needn't have worried. The Slytherins were more than happy to talk about themselves.

.

.

Cassieopeia's train ride was slightly more enjoyable; she spent it with a compartment full of first years who excitedly told her everything they'd heard about Hogwarts and had no criticisms of any story she came up with. She enjoyed telling several, all of which conflicted heavily with each other, but by the time Hogwarts appeared, the first years considered her one of their greatest friends.

Soon enough, she was beside Riley on the small first year boats, traveling across the lake and muttering threats to each other about what a simple shove could achieve. More personal conversation they didn't dare bring up; they'd decided not to claim any more prior knowledge of each other than going to the same American school would have brought them. Riley had thought it would be simple enough to excuse their friendship as the natural reaction between two older new students; Cassieopeia had a simple plan to Confund anyone who questioned this story.

Soon enough they were debarking the small boats with the first years, most of whom were looking to the older girls for guidance. As Riley was looking at the boats with regret, Cassieopeia took charge and motioned the eleven year olds after the ginormous man who had led them thus far. Riley fell in behind, muttering about magic taking the fun out of everything. Moments later they found themselves in a large entrance hall and Riley was scowling at the floor. Cassieopeia ignored her, too excited to finally see the inside of one of the most famous schools in Wizardry.

She was not disappointed.

The doors swung open to reveal the Great Hall, glowing with candles and the false starlight streaming from the ceiling. Eyes instantly glued themselves on Cassieopeia and Riley but Cassieopeia was too curious to care. There seemed to be a singing hat at the front of the room but she ignored it for a better look around. Soon, though, her watching was cut short and she was shuffling forward with the rest to be sorted into the various Houses.

Cassieopeia watched as several children stumbled up and were called to one of the four tables. Quickly it was her turn and she smiled cheerfully at the tiny stool, choosing to ignore it and stand as the hat was plopped on to her head by a grim looking teacher.

"Hello."

_Hello. _Cassieopeia replied cautiously. She was not overly fond of talking objects.

"Interesting case, you are. Very interesting." The hat said happily. "This would take a bit if… Ah, but Dumbledore was clear."

_Not Slytherin?_

"Not Slytherin." The Hat agreed. "So it's Gryffindor… Unless you object?"

Cassieopeia sat for a moment, wondering where this choice would lead her… She needed those Gryffindor boys on her side. But what of the future? Would they be able to cozy up to Voldemort if needed when both she and Riley had ended up in Gryffindor? Cassieopeia shook her head; she was being foolish. She could always tell the truth; she'd chosen a different house to stay under the radar. Or she could be the snobby American and claim she hadn't bothered to pay attention to house and had chosen at random. Not to mention whatever crazy plan Riley probably had.

"So it's Gryffindor." The hat asked. Cassieopeia nodded and the hat chuckled as it wobbled about. "Alright." It told her. "GRYFFINDOR!"

"Ah!" This was Riley.

Cassieopeia ignored her friend and made her way to her cheering and curious table, sitting between two of the boys Dumbledore had told her about. The other two were across the table. The four were split into two groups; looking politely interested in her and looking politely disinterested in everything. There was far too much cheering going on for them to interrogate her, so she took the opportunity to examine them.

Dumbledore had shown the two girls individual pictures of the boys, but it was interesting to Cassieopeia how they seemed to change slightly now that they were in their little group. The thin prefect boy couldn't keep the hint of a contented smile off his face. The dark haired Potter continuously made comments to the relaxed looking and very attractive boy sitting beside him. The last boy, sitting on the other side of Cassieopeia, seemed both to resent her decision to separate him from his friends and love the glances he was getting as a benefit of sitting beside her.

"Nox, Riley!"

Cassieopeia managed not to glance up immediately at the name, but she did watch as Riley went through a very, very long trial with the hat. Riley's face quickly changed from puzzled to concerned to thoughtful and back as she squirmed on the stool. There was enough of a pause that the boy next to Cassieopeia, the prefect one, took the opportunity to talk to her.

"So you're a Black, too, huh?"

"Yep." Cassieopeia said and when he looked curious she added, still gazing past him at Riley's twisted face. "Long lost cousin of the British Blacks. Family's been in America a bit."

"Interesting." The boy said just as that hat finally spoke again, sounding very pleased with itself.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

And then Cassieopeia was caught up in the cheering as an annoyed Riley Nox marched down and sat between the two boys across from her. When it finally calmed down, Cassieopeia nodded at her friend.

"Nox."

"_Blllllllack_."

They couldn't say anymore; Dumbledore was announcing the feast and after that the students of Hogwarts were too busy eating to worry about who may or may not be new at their school.

.

.

**Author's Notes:**

Thanks for reading!

Bookluver1999: Thank you. I am glad someone shares my sense of humor :)

IWontGiveUpOnYou: Thank you for the reviews, both on and off this site. You are crazy. That is all.

Everyone else: I'll try to keep updating frequently, but it probably won't stay quite this frequent once I finally start my new job. In the meantime, hope you're enjoying my story!


	4. Chapter 4: Take Care

**Chapter 4: Take Care  
**

"So that could have gone better." Riley sighed, tossing herself into one of the many free chairs in the empty Gryffindor common room. She looked around at the red and gold decorations with mild distaste, watching them sleepily as they flickered in the dim firelight. "Who would have thought food would be such a distraction?"

Cassieopeia coughed in mock politeness, sitting beside her friend and scooting her chair closer to the large fireplace. "I'm sorry; I'm supposed to be surprised that you thought with your stomach?"

"I was referring to Sirius and Peter!" Riley exclaimed with a laugh. She winced. "But I guess that is hypocritical." Cassieopeia raised an eyebrow. "But only a little!" Riley insisted, squirming in her seat as the many cushions she had placed there threatened to envelop her. "Did you have any luck with Remus Lupin?"

"A little. No." Cassieopeia shrugged and sat forward in her chair, resting her face in her hands and rubbing at tired eyes. "He was distracted by the noise and his friends."

"Mmm." Riley said with a nod, sinking deeper into her chair. Her spine looked as though it was about to bend in half.

"And James was too busy bothering Lily." Cassieopeia added, referring to one of the girls they had now roomed with.

"Yeesh." Riley said, widening her eyes dramatically as she looked up at her friend. "Boys." Cassieopeia lifted one hand and gave Riley a dubious look. "Well, we can at least start by making friends with her." Riley added, her tone much more serious. "_That_ at least might get their attention."

"I suppose." Cassieopeia said, sitting up to stare into the fire before them. "But that might not give us the right—"

"Friends of friends isn't good enough, is it?" Riley finished for her. "Well, we know about the full moon…"

"I think we should work on something for then and just be friendly before that." Cassieopeia put in.

"I am planning on asking them for directions." Riley sighed. "This castle—I swear, I'm going to end up trying to learn Potions in a men's bathroom."

"Good plan." Cassieopeia chuckled. "Anything else?"

"We need to find a better way to meet privately. And I think we should start exploring or searching or whatnot as soon as we can; we can't pin all our hopes on them. " Riley said. She tried to say more but was interrupted by an enormous yawn. "Da-huuuaaah… I mean, dang it."

"Tomorrow." Cassieopeia said with a smile.

Riley nodded and, with a great deal of effort and drama, got out of the chair and headed for the stairs to the girl's dormitory. She was rubbing her eyes but she still managed to glare at the large red tapestries hanging next to the door. With a shake of her head, she lifted a foot to the first step. Then Cassieopeia called her name.

"Nox?"

"What's up?" Riley replied, not bothering to turn around.

"What took so long? With the hat, I mean." Cassieopeia wondered, still sitting before the dying fire.

"Ha." Riley said, her lips twitching into half a smile. "I'm a paradox, that's what; he—it? It couldn't decide."

"Yeah, it did that to me too." Cassieopeia said, feeling a slight sense of relief; whether it was for deciding to enter Gryffindor or for not being the only one considered for Slytherin, she wasn't sure. Then another thought occurred. "Which other house?" Cassieopeia added, turning to see that Riley had managed two more stairs.

"Which other house?" Riley laughed and turned to show her friend a rueful smile and wrinkled nose. "Ha. No." She shook her head and began to climb the stairs, calling back over her shoulder. "It was torn between all four."

"Oh, Riley." Cassieopeia told the fire, hearing her friend clunk away. "That is so you."

.

.

.

The next morning, a very hungry Riley bounced down half the stairs and tumbled down the other, much to the amusement of the first years behind her and the dismay of Mary Macdonald, who had been below her. After a heartfelt and flustered apology, Riley helped the other sixth year to her feet and then fled through the portrait hole, smashing into several chairs in her hurry to get to breakfast.

She needn't have worried; Cassieopeia had awoken early and saved a seat amongst the group of Marauders and several of their friends. Riley sat down with a thump and a wince, grinned across the table at the startled Sirius Black, and waited for Cassieopeia to finish her discussion with Remus, Lily, and a rather flummoxed James about whether or not Hogwarts curriculum was more advanced than their American school, .

"And what do _you_ think about the, um, 'curriculum', ah… Sorry, I didn't catch your name." Sirius interrupted suddenly, smiling wickedly at Riley. She frowned around a large pile of cinnamon toast, knowing he had intended to catch her unawares.

"It's Nox." She said flatly. "Riley Nox. And I'm not sure how I can judge what I haven't seen yet." She paused, considering her toast again. "I'd imagine it would depend both on the class and the teacher."

"Mmm." Remus said. Both of Riley's answers were almost impossible to argue against.

"How was your morning, Riley?" Cassieopeia asked politely.

"Almost killed a girl." Riley said somberly

"What? Did she try to cut in front of you on your way to food?" Cassieopeia joked quietly. Riley turned red. "_Are you serious_?" Cassieopeia gasped.

"No! I mean…" Riley sputtered, knowing the four boys were all listening curiously. "I was in a hurry to get to breakfast and… I kind of basically accidentally tackled her down the stairs." Riley took a bite of toast. "She was actually very nice about it… Though that might have been out of fear that I would attack her again."

There were a rumble of laughter around her and the conversation turned to food and expectations of homework. As the bell grew close to ringing, Riley nervously spoke up.

"I don't suppose any of you have got Divination first thing?" Riley asked, knowing she sounded slightly desperate. "Or something around there?"

Cassieopeia was already shaking her head. "Remus and I have Care of Magical Creatures on the grounds." The two of them stood, looking apologetic. "We actually should get going."

"Nice to meet you, Riley." Remus said with a smile.

"I have Divination next." Peter said as their friends walked away, sounding excited. Riley's eyes widened slightly, remembering his future, but she forced herself to smile with relief.

"I've got it too." Sirius cut in, tapping his schedule dramatically. "_And_ I can help you if you need to catch up."

Riley leaned over, reading the schedule upside down. "Ooo, and we've got the next two classes together, too." Riley grinned, trying to keep her gaze evenly between the two of them. "You two are my heroes!"

"I could too help her with catching up." Peter was saying at the same time.

James entered the conversation then, looking annoyed. "Wormtail, you've been complaining about Divination for the past three years—"

"Two years." Sirius corrected.

"Don't pretend to understand it now." James finished sternly, standing to follow the fleeing Lily out the door.

"I'm not pretending!" Peter began hotly, turning a brilliant shade of red.

"Oh, come on, Pettigrew. Just because Remus took Cassieopeia doesn't mean you need your own American to show off." Sirius drawled.

"Um, guys?"

"I'm not copying Remus!" Peter squeaked.

"Um, shouldn't we get going?"

"We're just kidding, Wormtail. Honestly." Sirius rolled his eyes. "Sorry, Nox. What were you saying?"

"Class?" Riley said pointedly.

Sirius sighed. "If we must." He joked. Riley gave him her cutest laugh and he grinned. "After you, my dear girl." He said, waving a hand airily. "Oh and you, too, Nox."

Peter glared at him.

Riley grinned triumphantly and shoved three apples in her pockets.

Her plan had worked!

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Author's Note:

Hi!

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Oh, and thanks for the reads and reviews!

IWontGiveUpOnYou: :P

Guest: Thank you! I will try!

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Up next for Nox and Black?

Fwoopers and a toad.

PS Sorry for the weird '.' thing. I'm having some issues with my desire for spaces between sections.


	5. Chapter 5: Silent Songbirds

**Chapter 5: Silent Songbirds**

Cassieopeia kept her eyes on the ground as they left the castle, but Remus didn't seem to mind; their conversation on differing class subjects carried on right up until they reached the large field where the rest of their class were waiting.

"That's Professor Kettleburn." Remus told her quietly.

Cassieopeia glanced up carefully to find a rather frazzled looking man with, thinning blonde hair and beard, an extremely thin face, a wooden left leg, a wooden right foot, one missing arm-which was also replaced by a wooden limb-, and several missing fingers on his only otherwise whole limb. He was holding a very fluffy and very angry looking pink bird on his shoulder, and another even angrier orange one on his wooden wrist. Several other birds, all colored pink or orange, sat on perches and were glaring at the curious students gathered around them.

"What on earth—" Cassieopeia wondered aloud. Remus smiled slightly and nodded, leaving her side to get closer to one of the larger orange birds.

"Professor, I think that's everyone." One of the other Gryffindors said.

"Remus, who's—" Cassieopeia began to ask.

"Seth Maxis." Remus hissed back, suddenly beside her again.

"Alright, we'll start." Professor Kettleburn announced cheerily. "Over here. Over here. Now, I don't suppose anyone can tell me what these birds would be? Hmmm? Hmmmmmm?" Everyone was too busy staring at the ridiculous looking birds to listen to what he was saying. Professor Kettleburn sighed. "It's starts with an 'F'."

"Oh! A Fwooper!" One Slytherin girl said, smirking as though the blank looks all around her were completely uncalled for.

Cassieopeia made a face at the Slytherin girl and smiled as Remus had to close his eyes to keep from laughing out loud. "Her name?" Cassieopeia asked.

"Thurkell." Remus told her, his face showing mild distaste. "Adelpha Thurkell."

"A beautiful name for a beautiful girl." Cassieopeia declared in thinly veiled sarcasm. Remus coughed.

"So, Fwoopers!" Declared Professor Kettleburn, who had been momentarily distracted by the pink Fwooper's decision to move onto the professors head. "Dangerous why?"

"Their song." A girl called, blocked from Cassieopeia's view by the crowd. "It drives you mad… Don't you have to cast a silencing charm on them?"

"Yes, yes, good job to all. 10 points to Slytherin and Gryffindor each. Hmmmm." He paused to straighten one of his shabby look wooden legs and Cassieopeia caught a glimpse of a very large burn on the chipped wood before he fixed his robes again. "Now! You are going to pair up and care for these birds, just as we cared for those owls, uhhh, last year. If you're more confidant take one of those on the end; they've been in a few fights. Those closer to me only need some talon care and their wings clipped; you remember that from fourth year, I'm sure." The class began to move away, most gazing at the deranged looking birds with extreme interest. "Oh, new student!" Kettleburn remembered suddenly. "Miss…?"

"Black, sir." Cassieopeia said politely.

"Hmmmm." The professor glanced around. "Well, you've got Mr. Lupin as your partner and I'm sure he can take care of you for today; though I'm sure you'll have stories of some more American creatures for us later." He smiled. "For now, it looks like you're left with one of our toughest birds—bit of a bully—but just call me over if you need a hand. The name'll be on the perch. Go on."

With quite a bit of apprehension, Remus and Cassieopeia made their way to the last free bird and Remus ducked down, trying to read its name without getting anywhere near it. The bird stared regally back at them for a moment before rustling its mussed feathers and attempting to clean a bit of blood off its shoulder. It seemed to be purposefully ignoring its own wounds but continually glared at the other Fwoopers, daring them to come closer.

"Well," Declared Cassieopeia in a rather sarcastic tone. "Can't be as bad Cygnus."

"Cygnus?"

"My dad." She said shortly.

"Ah." Remus replied. "Well the bird's name is Mandisa."

"Hello, Mandy." Cassieopeia said carefully, reaching out to stroke the bird's brilliant pink wings. "Aren't you pretty?"

The Fwooper tossed it's head and attempted an answering squawk, but no sound came. Remus opened a box at the bottom and handed Cassieopeia a rather terrifying set of clippers.

"So..." Remus said carefully, watching the dark frown on Cassieopeia's face thaw some as the terrifying bird bumped its head against her hand. "You left home a little early?"

"Yeah." Cassieopeia replied, watching as Remus took the opportunity to clip Mandisa's wings as she kissed up to Cassieopeia. "Bit of an argument." She said. It was only half a lie. "I probably won't be going home again anytime soon." Cassieopeia shook her head and stroked the suddenly very happy bird's head as she thought about her family. Riley was so hopeful but… what where their chances of getting back? Even if they managed to survive the war they'd instinctively thrown themselves into.

"Well, I'm sure you'll make it up some day." Remus encouraged, seeming to sense her thoughts; he was still digging through the box of supplies, trying to find some bandages or salve.

"You know some Blacks right? More than just Sirius?" Cassieopeia hinted.

"Oh." Remus said, pausing as his face darkened with some memory. "Actually… if you're hinting about—" He glanced around but most of the students around them were too busy avoiding being pecked to death to pay any attention. "Dark Magic or pureblood views… you should talk with your cousin."

"Yeah?" Cassieopeia replied.

"He actually…" Remus frowned, unsure how much to say. "He just went through something extremely similar. Incredibly similar in fact. Was it your whole family?"

"Mainly my dad." Cassieopeia told him. "But the rest of the family wasn't too happy." He looked up at her and started to stand, seeming concerned, but she turned away as though to fix her hair and he dropped the subject.

The rest of the class went quickly. They had just finished caring for their bird when the professor called them together and assigned a chapter on Fwoopers and an hour's practice of Silencing Charms.

"You are very good with animals." Remus commented as they walked away, Mandisa hanging upside down and clacking futilely after her clipped wings and chained talon foiled her attempt to follow her new friends. "They tend to be very nervous around me," He admitted. "But even that beastly Fwooper behaved itself."

"My mother was a magical zoologist." Cassieopeia told him, watching their classmates feet move quickly away as the two of them dawdled their way back to the castle. "Before she got married. We have lots of pets and all sorts of animals were brought to her for medical care… I even met some centaurs, once. Mermen…Oh, and we got plenty of werewolves." She finished, trying very hard to keep her voice casual; she doubted it would end well if Remus realized what she knew too early. "That's a bit different but she did what she could. And they were always very nice about it."

"You're not anti-werewolf, then?" Remus asked. She shook her head and smiled sadly as she saw that he was too relieved at her generous opinion to think the subject convenient. "Not many think that way."

"Sad." Cassieopeia commented and his face grew distant. She risked a false guess. "Do you know a werewolf?"

"What? No! No, of course not!" Remus sputtered, turning red. He stopped in the middle of the lawn, wringing his hands. "I mean…"

"Remus..." Cassieopeia said, slightly exasperated.

"That was a bit of an obvious lie, wasn't it?" He sighed. "I'm sorry, Cass. People aren't usually so nice about it."

"Well, you can trust me." Cassieopeia said simply, glancing up to see they had about half their walk to the castle left to go. "And Riley. Just as much as your old friends. I swear." Remus looked away at her words, his face suddenly very lonely. "Oh, come on, Remus. We're Gryffindors! Loyal to our friends! And chivalrous to others? And… no, is loyalty Hufflepuff?" She frowned as Remus laughed at her. "Your house traits make no sense."

"You'll get used to it." Remus replied comfortingly. They began walking back to the castle, both thinking about what the other had said. They'd made it about twenty steps when Remus spoke again. "I suppose I should ask Riley…But what were her reasons for coming here? I mean, England isn't the safest place to be right now."

"I'm not quite sure why she agreed to come." Cassieopeia said, staring at the ground again. "And when I asked her, she made a joke about adventures and wanting to meet new people. I think maybe she wanted something new… Her career goals are the same as most of her family; she's looked into being either a Healer like her parents or an inventor of spells and magical objects like her great grandfather and grandmother. It's weird, but in a lot of things she's also ended up following in her younger brothers' footsteps." Cassieopeia said thoughtfully. "I doubt she really minds, but…"

"Maybe she just wanted a chance to find out who she was by herself? And since someone from America was already coming…" Remus trailed off. "Oh, no."

"What?" Cassieopeia said warily.

Remus raised a hand and pointed at one of the towers. "Either someone's dyed an owl pink or one of the Fwoopers wasn't exactly cared for properly."

"If it's an owl, I'd bet anything it's tied to Ri-Achoo! Achoo! Riley!" Cassieopeia winced and screwed her eyes shut.

"You alright?" Remus laughed.

"It's the sun!" Cassieopeia complained. "I hate the sun!" Remus gave an awkward laugh and when she tentatively opened her eyes, he looked confused. "Looking at the sun makes me sneeze." She admitted.

"Wow."

"I know." Cassieopeia glanced up, sneezed three times, and shut her eyes even more tightly than before. "I guess I'm stuck here."

"Oh, no." Remus said. "You have Potions next."

"I know."

"You can't miss potions!"

"I know!"

"Well…" Remus said, pretending to think it over. "I suppose I could guide you back to the castle."

"Oh, no." Cassieopeia teased, turning to smile blindly up at where she thought he might be. "I could never ask so much of you."

"I insist; prefect's duty." Remus said and she heard the smile in his voice as he carefully took her hand. "But it might be safer if you watched the ground again."

"I suppose." Cassieopeia said dubiously, opening one eye the smallest bit just to sneak a glance at her tall new friend.

"Just don't look at the castle. We can't risk you sneezing again." He laughed. "I'll tell you when we get inside and you're safe again."

"I suppose we can manage that." Cassieopeia agreed.

But Remus and Cassieopeia made it all the way to the dungeons hand in hand.

Author's Note:

Hello and thank you for reading! I know this chapter isn't quite as, maybe, humorous as some others, but I'm trying, dang it. I'm still working on my serious, emotional writing. Not the most serious person. Nope.

Anyway.

IWontGiveUpOnYou: Well, you got what you asked for. Don't blame me if it embarrasses you... Though that thought is very encouraging and amuses me. More Cassieomus(?) coming soon. Remussieopeia? Man I hate spelling.

Bookluver: Thank you again. I know it took me a bit more time (i'm currently in the middle of rereading the HP books for the 1,498 time) but I hope it was not too long.

More to come soon!

PS: Remopeia? Casus? Cassimus? Blupin? Rasputin? Cassieorem? No, I think I like Remussieopeia. We're stickin with that one.


	6. Chapter 6: Crystal Ball

**Chapter 6: Crystal Ball  
**

"Do you see anything?"

Riley snuck a peek at her divination teacher. Professor Mopsus had not taken kindly to Sirius' suggestion that he and James could catch Riley up on anything she didn't know and seemed even less enthusiastic about her new student sitting with the three raucous boys. Mopsus had hinted several times that Riley might be more comfortable at the front of the class and had sighed when Riley had shaken her head, disliking both the supercilious attitude of the students in those desks and the idea of being so easily looked at.

"Yes…" Riley glanced up again at the teacher. "I see… something. I'm not sure…"

"Concentrate, Miss Nox." Mopsus said, peering seriously down at all four at the table. "You'll find it."

"I don't think…." Riley said nervously. She frowned, hesitating, but an encouraging nod from James decided her and she suddenly leaned back in her seat. "Oh!"

"What is it? What do you see?" Mopsus leaned forward eagerly.

"I…" Riley shuddered and ducked her head, trying to avoid the curious looks of her classmates. Peter and Sirius took the opportunity to lean over her crystal as though they could find the image themselves. "I'm sorry… I-I don't' think I want to talk about it. It was… I'm sorry." She finished, still sitting as far from the crystal ball as the table would let her.

"Alright, Miss Nox." The professor said, frowning concernedly. "Why don't you make yourself a nice cup of tea and, once you feel a bit better, you can move on to reading tea leaves?"

Riley nodded stiffly and stood up hurriedly, returning to the Marauders' stares a few minutes later with a large cup of rather thin tea. She sat down again, right between Peter and Sirius, hoping to have a moment of peace but Sirius did not waste a second.

"What did you see, Nox?" He hissed, leaning forward toward the crystal again.

"What?" Riley asked distractedly, tapping her cup in an attempt to make the disgusting smelling tea overflow into its saucer.

"What did you see?" Peter repeated eagerly.

"Oh." Riley said, finally remembering the state in which she'd left them. "Nothing."

James' eyes widened and he choked on a laugh.

"NOTH—"

"Shhh, Wormtail." Sirius hissed. "What do you mean, nothing?" He whispered casually, as Peter and he began kicking each other under the table.

"I never see anything." Riley admitted, pulling back from the table to avoid injury. "But I've never met a divination teacher who didn't enjoy a bit of drama so… I pretend the tablecloth is a dementor or something."

"You've done that before?" Sirius said, looking somewhat impressed. The three boys were all staring at her.

"Why? What do you do when you don't see anything?" Riley asked finally, feeling awkward.

"Oh, come on, Nox." Sirius scoffed, giving her a dashing smile and a conspiratorial wink. "You can't expect us to spill out secrets that easily, can you?"

"I suppose not." Riley said, giving him a sly half smile in return. "And a little mystery can be fascinating…"

"But?" Sirius asked, leaning forward again, still curious.

"But I'm going to have to keep some secrets of my own." Riley teased, her half smile turning into an evasive laugh. "Only fair, right?"

"Right…" Sirius said, sounding more curious than ever. "But you know I'm going to have to figure them out now, right?" He gave her another wink and then turned away to accept a tea cup from Peter. Riley turned slightly pink; she hadn't even noticed the other two boys leave.

The table turned back to general discussion about Hogwarts and its' strangest features, which entertained Riley right up until Professor Mopsus appeared at their table and wondered if they would like to get on with some actual work.

"Alright." Riley said quickly, draining the last of her tea, making a disgusted face, and holding out her cup. "Who wants first go?"

James took the cup, almost snatching it out of Peter's hand, and immediately looked puzzled. "Is that a toad?"

"A toad?" Professor Mopsus said. "Hmm… Sign of luck and healing transformation."

"No—" James tried to interrupt.

"But I'm quite surprised to hear of a positive sign." The Professor continued in a loud voice. "After your reaction to the crystal, Miss Nox. Oh dear. I wonder, do you…?"

"Professor, it's a real toad." James finally interrupted. "A golden toad."

"Boo!" Riley exclaimed watching the tiny orange toad leap out of the cup and into James cupped hands.

"Oh." Mopsus said awkwardly. "Oh, I see. May I hold him?"

And the rest of the class was spent on an uncomfortable lecture on what the bits of tea leaf on Boo's head would mean for the next year of Riley's life.

...

"There, there, Boo; let's get you cleaned up." Riley cooed to the toad on their long march down to Potions, grinning as he simply stared back at her impassively. Apart checking carefully that the many steps before her all proceeded in a straight line, she waved her wand again, muttering a spell and smiling as the small creature blinked. "Aguamenti. See, isn't that better?"

"Are you really going to take that thing to Potions? Slughorn can be… lax about some things, but he doesn't even know you yet." This wasn't one of the Marauders; it was another one of the Gryffindor girls—Marlene something—who flinched violently as Riley turned toward her, unintentionally placing Boo right before the other girl's face.

"Oh, he'll just hide under my hair." Riley declared, tossing her wild curls. "I think that's what he was doing before…" Riley frowned at a thought, but Sirius was quicker to voice it.

"He jumped in your cup, Nox. What if he decides to take a bath in your potion next?" He took advantage of a random break in the stairs to slip himself between Boo, Riley, and the now awkwardly smiling Marlene. Boo made a small squeaking croak and leapt from Riley's hand onto Sirius' forehead.

"Urgh!" Marlene exclaimed. Sirius and Riley just grinned, Riley's a bit more apologetic.

"I'll just cast some sort of specific shield charm over my cauldron." She said with a shrug.

"Well—" Replied, Sirius, closing an eye as Boo began to explore his face. "What if he jumps into your neighbor's cauldron?"

"It won't hurt him; he's magicked pretty well; couple dozen shield spells and some magic of his own. I mean, he'll still blow up the potion and cover someone in boils or fire or something, but I'll just sit by someone I don't like." Riley said calmly. She hesitated for a moment, but she liked her joke too much to be shy. "You have a partner yet, Black?"

"Oh! Cruel words!" Sirius cried, his attempt to look devastated thwarted as Boo attempted to climb into his mouth. By this point Marlene was completely horrified and Riley was pretty sure even Sirius' good looks wouldn't be enough to keep her nearby if anything else happened. Sirius had not noticed anything, of course. "But I know your plan now, Nox. (_Geroff, you orange monster._) It won't work on me."

"Oh, dear. You're right, of course." Riley shrugged. "I suppose—"

"It's a left here." Marlene interjected, Sirius being too busy trying not to eat a toad to give any directions.

"Thanks. I suppose you two will have to point out a good target. Or I could just sit by a Slytherin."

"They're usually a good bet." Marlene said slowly. "But…"

"But they'll play just as dirty." Sirius agreed, placing Boo firmly back on his forehead. "And Slughorn is head of Slytherin."

"Oh, this place is no fun." Joked Riley, mostly because she knew Sirius would appreciate it. "Well, we'll see what hap—helloooo."

"Interesting." Marlene agreed.

"It's just James and Lily again." Sirius said. "Though how they got down here is beyond me."

"Behind them." Riley pointed out.

"_Interesting._" Sirius gasped, his grin gleeful as he finally took his attention away from his bright orange forehead accessory. "Oh, this is _perfect._"

It was then that the happily chatting Remus and Cassieopeia spotted their friends' smug faces and quickly dropped each other's hands. From the looks on their faces, Riley was pretty sure they had not even realized what they'd been doing.

"Oh, look at them; they're so cute." Marlene whispered to Riley.

"And Remus thought James liked Lily fast!" Sirius was muttering triumphantly in Riley's other ear. "Oh, I like this."

"Loony Lupin's got a girlfriend!" A third voice crowed, rather less softly then the two Gryffindors. "Huh. Who would've thought a girl would wanna touch a prat like that." Rosier added, watching the couple turn a brilliant shade of red.

Immediately, about two thirds of the class had their wands out and James was at Rosier's throat, ready to curse him. The only reason Sirius was not already pounding Rosier's face into the ground was that Riley and Marlene had somehow managed to grab his arms and were in danger being slowly dragged across the dungeon toward the enemy Slytherin. Riley tried to give Marlene a desperate look around Sirius' back, but she was too busy blushing to notice.

"Lemmego." Sirius growled.

"Everybody needs to calm down!" Cassieopeia was calling.

"Seriously, James. It's not that big a deal." Remus added quietly, his eyes cemented on his school bag.

"He's Slytherin scum." James argued. "It's always a big deal."

"Teacher's coming." Cassieopeia replied pointedly. Sure enough, a large man bustled cheerfully past and opened the dungeon door for them, whistling a strange tune as he went. As the rest of the students reluctantly began to head into the classroom, Cassieopeia turned to Remus and began speaking urgently to him. He still looked incredibly embarrassed as they followed James and Lily into the classroom.

Riley turned toward the small group of Slytherins standing around Rosier and laughing. Her eyes narrowed.

"You two shouldn't've… They can't do that to Remus… They can't get away with it." Sirius complained. He looked about ready to march over and restart the fight, teacher or no teacher.

"Merlin! Hanging out with Lupin; must be something seriously wrong with that one." One of the Slytherin girls was snickering.

"What bloody losers." One of the 'Dull Twins' added.

"Those… effin'… gits…" Sirius growled "I'm going… to effin… kill them." Marlene had took the opportunity to grab his arm again.

"Oh, please, Black." Riley said calmly, eyes still narrowed dangerously. "Subtle is always the way to go."

"What's that mean?" Asked Marlene rather nervously.

"Hand me my toad." Riley commanded regally, thrusting her hand out and waiting patiently.

"Alriiight." Sirius said puzzledly. She felt Boo plop lightly into her hand. "Why?"

Riley ignored him, slipping the brilliant orange toad into her hair and marching over to the group of mocking Slytherins. Plastering a huge grin on her face, she skipped into the middle of the boys and captured Rosier with a wink.

"Riley Nox." Mulciber said, surprised. "What are you doing over here?"

"Getting revenge for your new housemates?" Rosier mocked.

"Revenge? Me?" Riley asked sweetly. "Oh, no! No, I just wanted to ask you to sit by me, Evan!"

And Rosier and Nox entered the classroom, followed by the sound of Sirius and Marlene's muffled laughter.

…

**Author's Note: **

Hey, guys! Not much to say here. I'd love some more reviews to let me know what you guys all think and what you might be interested in seeing; I've got general plot set but details are open to debate. I am enjoying writing this story much more than some others so if ya'll like it too I look forward to writing quite a lot more but I'm not sure how much of the five years of fighting Voldy I will show. Yes, five years. I want to get up to Harry.

**_Also, just started a poll on how I title my chapters. Go vote; it's your duty as a citizen after all... NOT ANYMORE. I CLOSED IT BECAUSE ONLY 2 OF MY PEEPS VOTED. :P :(_**

IWontGiveUpOnYou: Well when I make that a poll you can waste your vote on that.

I have nothing else to say.


	7. Chapter 7:Cursed

**Chapter 7: Cursed**

Unfortunately, the Potions lesson on poisons went along without a hitch and, though Boo disappeared, it was only to make a snack out of a bag of Bertie Bott's which Riley had been saving in a pocket of her robes. The rest of the day went about the same, with some more teasing between Riley and Sirius, more awkward smiles between Cassieopeia and Remus, and more eye rolls directed at James by an exasperated Lily. After supper, Riley went to the library hoping to ambush some Slytherins with her friendship, leaving Cassieopeia to work on an unnaturally large stack of homework.

"Look at this, Roman." Cassieopeia groaned quietly, trying to distract herself from various games going on around the Gryffindor Common Room. "Just look at it. This is what I get for trying to save England? Now I know why King Arthur decided to go into a never-ending coma. Merlin, this is ridiculous!"

"Erm." Sirius said, slipping into a nearby armchair much like the one Cassieopeia had commandeered and plopping his own significantly smaller stack of books and papers onto the table. "Who are you talking to?"

"Roman." Cassieopeia told him simply. She frowned; was 'Polyjuice' supposed to be capitalized?

"Oh." Sirius frowned. "Of course. Roman."

"Who's Roman?" Peter asked, appearing suddenly between the two Black's chairs.

"Who Cassieopeia's talking to." Said Sirius helpfully.

"She's not talking." James pointed out, appearing on Cassieopeia's other side and leaning forward haphazardly in order to see his friends.

"Good point." Sirius replied.

Without moving an inch, Cassieopeia raised her eyes, took one sweeping glance over the three of them, and went back to her essay on basic potions.

"Oh, she's ignoring us." Peter said disappointedly.

"Now we'll never solve the mystery." Sirius added, his face bored. He pulled out a pocketknife, snapping it open and shut each time someone spoke.

"What mystery?" James asked, catching the back of Cassieopeia's chair to keep himself from falling across the table.

"The mystery of why everyone in Gryffindor is so bloody annoying." Cassieopeia informed him evenly, her quill not stopping for a moment.

"Ouch." James laughed. Peter simply turned red and looked about to retreat, but Sirius spoke again.

"You think you're hurt?" Demanded Sirius, slamming his knifepoint first into the table so that he could pick up a quill. "Riley's been throwing those at me all day." He smiled good naturedly and went back to bothering Cassieopeia. "Tell me who Roman is and I'll help you with your homework."

"Lily already offered." James told him.

"Blast!" Sirius tapped a length of parchment as he thought, leaving a series of large splots. "Tells us who Roman is… and… we'll…"

"You could give Riley and me a tour of the school." Cassieopeia said casually, leaping at the opportunity.

"Of course." Said a new voice. Cassieopeia glanced around, confused, but she no one in sight had spoken. Finally she tilted back in her chair and looked straight up to find a grinning Remus leaning over the back of her chair to loom over her. "So, who's Roman, Black?"

Cassieopeia took one more moment of smiling up at him and then she bent down to reach underneath her armchair. "This…" She said, looking fondly at a black bundle of fur that fit easily in the crook of her arm as she sat up again. "Is my Roman."

"A cat." Peter said uneasily.

"A kitten." Sirius scoffed at Peter. He looked back to Cassieopeia. "Cute."

"Can I go back to my homework now or are there some more pressing questions you're dying to ask me?" Cassieopeia said drily.

"Actually, I did have a question about your parents." Remus interjected, politely slipping past James to steal the last bit of space on the paper strewn table. "If that's alright?"

"Oh, no, go ahead." Cassieopeia said, giving him a hint of a smile. "I'll fail potions my first week but at least you all can get a N.E.W.T in Cassieopeia Blackuration."

"Oh, lucky you guys! I didn't even get an O.W.L. in that." Came Riley's voice. She jumped over with "Anyone care for a game o' Exploding Snap?"

Cassieopeia threw several blank parchments in the air in mock exasperation. Roman batted at them playfully as Remus attempted to collect them. In the distraction, Riley got a hold of Cassieopeia's only finished piece of homework.

"Transfiguration. Excellent. Only one I wasn't sure about." She began scribbling down details from Cassieopeia's worksheet after the answers she'd already written. "Would one of you examine these when I'm done?"

"When that happens I'm going somewhere quieter." Cassieopeia informed her.

"Good luck with that." Riley laughed. "Library's closed, halls are almost closed, and someone in our dorm has a severe snoring problem. Besides, you're safer among your own classmates, I think." She finished one final sentence and handed it off to Lupin. "Play on the floor? James? Peter?" The two boys joined her and Riley rolled up the sleeves or her robe, grinning in eager anticipation.

"What happened?" Sirius asked. Cassieopeia saw his eyes narrowing on Riley's elbow, but Riley quickly drew her sleeve down to hide what he had seen. "_Nox_." Sirius said sternly.

"Adelpha Thurkell taught me a new hex, that's all." Riley said happily. "Your deal, Potter. Classic rules."

"She attacked you?" Cassieopeia asked.

"Yeah. But I was bored anyway." Riley winked at Sirius, who was torn between exasperation and amusement. "Now do your homework so you can play too."

"Or we could give you that tour." Remus put in. Riley looked up sharply.

"Tour?" She asked.

"In return for learning about Roman." James said, biting his lip as he studied the cards Peter was laying down.

"Oh… What could I have gotten for teaching you about Boo?" Riley said, her tone disappointed.

"Who's Boo?" Asked Remus.

"Something from Lupin." James told Riley. He laid down a pair. "Your turn."

"What can I get from Lupin?" Riley asked, shaking her head a waving a hand for Peter to take a turn.

"I am already fixing your homework." Lupin pointed out.

"You haven't written a single thing." Riley pointed out. "Let me think." She placed another pair of cards just in time for the deck to explode. "Alright. Ow. So you're giving us a tour?" The Marauders nodded. "You could tell me where the kitchen is?" She said hopefully.

"Seriously?" Cassieopeia asked. "You barely touched your supper."

"I'm a snack person." Riley sniffed, trying to appear dignified as she poured the remainder of her Bertie Bott's into her mouth. "Oh, I know," She garbled. "We nee-_want_ some way to go around the castle without getting caught."

The Marauders looked her over carefully and Lupin and James exchanged curious glances.

"How about…" Remus said carefully. "We show you the kitchens… and work on finding you a way do that?"

"What did I tell you about our secrets, Nox?" Sirius said severely, his eyes dancing. "You'll have to have more than _that_ to offer."

"Ooo, mysterious." Riley said happily, watching Peter regather the game. "But I'm going to go with Remus' deal. I'll bully it out of him later."

"Alright." Remus said, moving to sit on the arm of Cassieopeia's chair so he could watch her write. "So who's Boo and what's his story?"

"He's a toad. He jumps in things." Sirius told him. "Sad but true. Now deal me in."

The played three games without much chatter, giving Cassieopeia a welcome breather. Remus remained by her side, answering questions and smiling at Roman, who had decided he trusted the werewolf enough to clamber up onto his lap. Every once in a while Remus would add a thought or Cassieopeia would ask a question; sometimes they paused to look over at Riley, who periodically broke out in cheers or insults. The boys were usually too busy laughing at her to do the same. It was in one of the periods of complete quiet in their group that Riley finally thought of something serious.

"Oh, shoot."

Cassieopeia looked up hopefully from her essay. "What is it, Nox?"

"I should have made Remus do my homework for a month." Riley said forlornly.

"I am a _prefect!"_ Remus sputtered, his friends laughing at him. Cassieopeia hid a smile.

"Yeah? Well, whatever that means, it's too late now. Blast!" Riley shook her head disgustedly as the game promptly blew to pieces. "And since when is cheating worse than helping me break into the kitchens? Or touring the school after dark?"

"I hadn't actually mentioned that it would be after dark…" Cassieopeia said with a slight wince.

Riley frowned. "But that's when we agreed would be—"

"No, that was definitely not part of our agreement." Remus laughed, turning from Cassieopeia to smile at her friend. But when he turned back her, Cassieopeia was watching him so hopefully that he ended up adding, "But I suppose…"

"Yes?" Riley said eagerly.

"No promises." Remus said sternly just as Sirius said, "Alright."

"_What?"_

"But it's a new deal." Sirius said, looking from Cassieopeia to Riley. "For a third secret."

"For Pete's sake." Riley growled. Cassieopeia frowned but then she realized that Sirius was looking at Riley's arm again. "No."

"If you're going to be friends with us," James drawled. "You're going to have to let us get revenge for you."

"And for that we need to know what we're getting revenge for." Sirius told her charmingly. He then added, his manner rather less so. "So show us your bloody arm."

"I'd like to see it to." Cassieopeia said, concern in her voice at Riley's embarrassed manner. "Especially if you're going to continue to hang out with those slithery morons." She slammed a book shut on her essay and began stuffing books into her bag as the conversation continued.

"They're not—I'm not going to be 'hanging out' with Adelpha 'Pig Snout' Thurkell." Riley exclaimed in exasperation and the boys all grinned. Cassieopeia simply scowled, but this was at her bulging book bag. "And when I do become her friend, she won't curse me anymore." She finished matter-of-factly.

"How…?" Peter stopped, his face mottled with confusion.

"For goodness sake, Riley." Sirius groaned. "You can't like _everybody._"

"Well…" Riley said lamely, finally pulling up her sleeve. Cassieopeia stopped attempting to crush her books into her bag and wandered over to stand beside her friend. "I would like to learn this curse."

"I thought she taught it to you." Cassieopeia pointed out drily as she leaned over a large hot pink mark on Riley's elbow.

"You know, if you're going to point it out every time I lie, you are going to talk almost as much as I do." Riley shot back. The boys laughed again and Cassieopeia rolled her eyes.

"It's not that bad of a curse." Said Peter.

"Yeah, except it's getting bigger." Riley told him. "And I don't like pink."

"Interesting coincidence." Cassieopeia replied, not believing Riley's casual attitude for a second.

"Coincidence?" Riley frowned. "Now that you mention it, I was just telling Mulciber and Rosier about how much I don't like pink when she cursed me…Oh, no; you guys don't want to see this." Riley groaned. Mary and Lily had noticed something was up and had appeared next to the small circle of Marauders and time breakers.

"Oh, let me see, Nox." Mary scolded.

"Is the hair pink too?" Lily asked, watching in mild amusement as Mary examined Riley's arm and Riley looked pointedly away from everyone.

"Yes… You think it was a color change jinx?" Mary wondered. "Oh, ew!"

"Whaaat?" Riley moaned.

"Your arm." Mary said, rather unhelpfully Cassieopeia thought. "It's pink."

"You don't say!" Sirius declared. Riley frowned at him.

"It's lighter." Said Mary, sounding defensive now. "But her whole arm is pink."

James, who had been creeping closer ever since Lily had appeared, squinted at Riley in the dim light. "Actually… I think your face is pink too. Evans, look at her face."

"Don't be an idiot, Pott—oh, I'm sorry, Riley. He's right."

As Riley's face turned into a mixture of terror and amusement, Cassieopeia grabbed a book and began skimming through it and staring at Riley, ignoring the others.

"Why are you apologizing to her?" James was demanding.

"It's _her_ face."

"But you called me an idiot!"

Sirius interrupted. "Mate, we've discussed this."

"It's not an insult if it's true." Remus recited.

"Ha." Laughed Riley rather shrilly; Cassieopeia and Lily were both poking her with their wands. "You guys are awesome. Ow!"

"I think you might need to go to the nurse." Cassieopeia told Riley, watching the tip of her wand flicker pink for a moment. She glanced at Lily, who simply nodded, and at Mary, who had fallen asleep against the chair. The Marauders were simply watching.

"Why doesn't she just go in the morning?" Peter finally asked. He was immediately shot down by his friends.

Remus was first. "We have no idea what this spell will end up doing." He pointed out, sounding slightly worried.

"What? And show the whole school what she looks like bright pink?" Sirius asked incredulously.

"I could probably cure it." James put in. "We could sneak up to the library and do some research…"

"No." Said Lily, whether to Peter or James, Cassieopeia wasn't sure.

"I don't want to have to get up early." Riley put in. "But I really don't mind people seeing this. It's kinda hilarious."

"You look like a really ugly Fwooper." Cassieopeia told her. Sirius snickered but Riley just grinned wider. "But Remus is right."

"Well, then, I guess your tour starts tonight." Said James, standing up and giving a theatrical yawn. "But not from me. Black?"

"I'll show them." Sirius said agreeably.

"I'll come." Cassieopeia agreed at the same time and Riley gave her a relieved look. Cassieopeia smiled knowingly. "Anyone else?"

The others began discussing just how many of them was a prudent number to patrol the corridors this close to curfew and Cassieopeia took the opportunity to pull Riley aside, avoiding Remus' curious look.

"What have you been _doing?"_ Cassieopeia demanded quietly.

"I was talking to the Slytherins… I told you that."

"Yes, but we need to talk. I assumed you'd be back ages ago."

"I was doing homework with the Slitheries; I was hoping they might know something about their founder." Riley said, her quiet tone only slightly apologetic. "Then I had a few free seconds in the library while I told the boys I was getting a book and I snuck into the Restricted Section. Very helpful. I put a couple books on You-Know-Whats in your pillow and I bookmarked a chapter in 'Mogwarts, a Mystery' for you." Riley hissed.

"In… Oh, you found something on good ol' Tommy's lost pet?" Cassieopeia whispered back, itching at a spot of ink on her thumb.

"Kind of. It's useless. But I thought maybe you would see some hint I didn't." Riley sighed. "Also, we need to get a move on with your animal theory. I asked McG. And she said that we could practice spells in the sixth floor classrooms after two. And, Black, stop eavesdropping, it's rude." Cassieopeia blinked confusedly but Sirius scowled and went back to arguing with Peter and Lupin about which of them should come with.

"After the full tour, we should talk." Cassieopeia told the reluctant Riley, throwing another glare at Sirius and Lupin as they finished their argument, sent Pettigrew away, and turned to watch the two girls. "And talk this out again. Figure out which we should concentrate on finding first."

"And whether to prioritize spell work or Tommy's pet or the You-Know-Whats? I guess so." Riley asked. "But that reminds me, I also left a book on curses in your trunk. Oh and I looked in your trunk. Oh, and-"

"You two ready?" Remus interrupted.

"Yes, yes." Cassieopeia agreed, setting her book bag and cat over one shoulder. But as they followed the boys out of the Common Room and into the dark halls of Hogwarts, she could resist one last hiss at Riley. "After this." Cassieopeia ordered, a bit of a threat in her voice. "We talk."

And Riley Nox, for once in her life, didn't argue.

...

...

...

Author's Note!

Hi and thanks for reading and commenting! Glad to get feedback :)

...

C. B. Weasley: Thank you! You're bloody awesome too!

IWontGiveUpOnYou: Hopefully more of those two coming soon. I'm glad you think I'm funny. Go write.

kcittyq: While I am not sure how I might work a kareoke night into Harry Potter, there be some singing at Slughorn's partys... I did have some HP candy in this chapter though! Glad you like it!

Have a nice week evryone!


	8. Chapter 8: Starlight

**Chapter 8: Starlight**

Riley was thinking hard as Cassieopeia made excuses about a lost book and she bit her lip as she and her friend ditched the last two Marauders and slipped up the steps to the Owlery. She walked away as Cassieopeia cast protective spells over the steps, heading for the opening where the owls flew in and out and staring out at the stars.

"You don't think they followed?" Riley asked as Cassieopeia came over and plopped down on the floor.

"I did Homenum Revelio." Cassieopeia told her, leaning back against the wall and closing her eyes. Riley stayed standing, unable to look away from the sky. "You didn't seem to want to talk." Cassieopeia observed.

"I'm not into specific plans." Riley mused. "I like to act. I just want to go through the castle and see what we find."

"Yeah?"

"We can't control any of this. And making plans just makes me scared that they'll go wrong and I'll just feel more helpless." Riley shrugged. "I can't stand feeling helpless. If I could, I would have… I would have gone home, I guess."

Riley fell silent. She felt Cassieopeia's eyes on her face but she kept her eyes on the light, shying away from the dark shadows of the owlry.

"You're more of an outline person?" Cassieopeia asked finally.

"I guess." Riley said. "Or… I guess I just think we should keep options open."

"Ahh." Cassieopeia replied. "Well, I'll give the outline and you fill in your many details."

"Fine." Riley said, but she was laughing.

"We befriend Marauders." Cassieopeia started.

"That part I'm not so worried about it." Riley said. "Though it could get complicated." She added with a mischievous wink.

"Ha, complicated? Step two: We befriend Slytherins. Step three: Riley turns pink."

"I'm guessing that's going to work better with me then you." Riley sighed, ignoring the last part of Cassieopeia's list. "But I'll shoehorn you in somehow." Said Riley, finally giving up on the stars and sliding down to sit beside her friend.

"Mmm…" Cassieopeia said dubiously. "Next, we tour the castle. Somehow, we get our friends the Marauders to then show us the parts we haven't discovered."

"And if that fails to show us the parts of the castle that only Slytherins can get to, we might ask some actual Slytherins." Riley added. "I'm not supplying many options am I?"

"That was two options."

"Oh." Riley frowned up at the ceiling. "Your animal theory was another."

"My what?"

"That animals might be able to smell dark magic? Or cats, anyway. Or Animagus?" Riley shrugged again.

"My theory was that you could create a spell for that."

"Oh… right." Riley drew her wand from her sleeve and studied it. "I'll work on that too."

"Last we look for the… You-Know-What." Cassieopeia finished quietly, glancing around carefully.

"You think the owls are gonna tell tales?" Riley asked.

"For all we know, one of them is Animagus." Cassieopeia said, only half serious.

"Ha." Riley said. "But no, aren't owls one of the rarest?" Riley didn't wait for an answer, but stood and started staring at the stars again. "So two secret rooms. In a giant castle… they are both actually _ in _the castle, right?"

"That I remember for sure." Cassieopeia said.

"Alright." Riley stared at the sky, her thoughts scattered over everything that had happened in their month away from home.

"What are you thinking?" Cassieopeia asked.

"Nothing." Riley said, taking one last look out the southeastern window. "Moons rising."

"Yes." Cassieopeia said, looking at the half moon with a frown.

"Full moon's next week." Riley added.

"It is." Cassieopeia agreed.

They stood in silence a moment longer, feeling the fall air brush against them. Riley shivered and wondered what sort of evils were waiting for them outside the sturdy walls of Hogwarts. Who knew what their plans would accomplish? Riley looked around at the shadows, seeing all the monstrous possibilities that lay in both success and failure. Who knew what consequences their knowledge would bring to this new time? Riley sighed: where could they go for help? No one could know the future…

"Cassieopeia!" Riley hissed.

"Yes?" Cassieopeia replied, her voice hushed: the dark mood of the owlery seemed to have affected her as well.

"How did Dumbledore know we would be there?" Riley said urgently.

"He sensed the magic." Cassieopeia said slowly, simply repeating what Dumbledore had implied.

"Ha!" Riley said. "With my shield? No." She turned away from the stars and began to wonder around the sleeping owls, mumbling to them as she pondered, her eyes darting feverishly with each thought and growing brighter as she dismissed each one. "Oh, I hope…"

"Nox?"

Riley swung around, her hands waving wildly with each word. "Harry Potter had a prophecy." She explained and several owls hooted in annoyance as she swung back around and paced past them, narrowly missing them with her wide gestures. "But Dumbly didn't want to tell him. He didn't learn it til what? 17 years later? More?"

"Less." Cassieopeia said drily. "But you think… Dumbledore hasn't met that seer yet."

"That one, no." Riley sighed. "But he was _waiting_ for us. Black, I can't think of another reason."

"He could have just been there. Magic brings coincidences, Riley."

"No!" Riley growled. "Well… but …"

"We don't know what strange magic Dumbledore might have. Or our words might have brought us to him." Cassieopeia thought aloud.

"I know!" Riley said, insistent. "But he expected us!"

"Nox…" Cassieopeia sighed uncomfortably. "It's been a month, don't you think he would have said…?"

"Apparently not." Riley said. "But that is because he is a butt."

"What?"

"He doesn't trust us." Riley realized. She began to pace again, hands wrestling with her brown curls as though the answer was hiding in her hair. "Maybe even because he saw we don't trust him." Riley nodded emphatically. "Dumbledore doesn't trust us."

"But why?" Cassieopeia asked. At this point she seemed to be holding back thoughts of her own, waiting for Riley's brainstorming to run its course.

"I don't…" Riley frowned. "Oh."

"Oh?"

"The prophecy."

"Oh." Cassieopeia thought for a moment. "Oh. Yes, I see." Cassieopeia closed her eyes for a moment and now it was Riley who was waiting, letting her own ideas sit as Black formed a new thought. But when Cassieopeia opened her eyes, they were distant and dark. "I don't like it." She said slowly, her voice angry.

"Oh?" Riley said nervously, coming closer.

"He has something we need." Cassieopeia said.

"He has a lot of things we need." Riley said drily, watching anxiously as the anger faded from her friend's face. "But he has offered most of them."

"But he still has the advantage." Cassieopeia sighed.

"I think we both can come up with some reasons why he might want that." Riley laughed. "He has no proof of anything we've said, after all."

"No." Cassieopeia agreed. "But we are not children. And we are in enough danger already." Riley shrugged good naturedly. "What should we do?"

"Ask him." Riley sighed. "He wanted us to go see him." She glanced at the moon. "We could go now." She said. "Tell him we want his lessons and then see if we can hint at the prophecy?"

"No." Cassieopeia said. Her friend paused in the act of walking away and Cassieopeia smiled apologetically. "No, we should be upfront, I think."

"I'm not used to that." Riley admitted ruefully.

"I know." Cassieopeia said, finally following Riley toward the exit. "But he needs to know."

"Know what?" Riley asked curiously, already letting more lighthearted thoughts flicker into her mind.

But Cassieopeia Black's tone was still hard as death. "What I'll do to him if he gets you killed."

.

.

.

Author's note:

Hey, ya'll! Guess who's back!

Sorry for the long wait. It's been super duper busy for me, what with the broken computer and the buying a new computer and the new job and the new apartment and the no internet and the no hot water and the whole moving to another country thing. You know, basic stuff. I'm actually hoping to put any homesickness into how C and R feel, but so far I'm not feeling too bad :P. So for now, they're just gonna hate on Dumbledore for his trust issues. Yay!

I will try to thank my reviewers individually in my next chapter, which I hope to do today. But I need to run so, just gonna throw this in there and we'll just have to wait a bit to find out what Albus says! But, I'm glad to see so many new reviews! Thank you all! I'm sorry this chapter is kinda lousy and short!


	9. Chapter 9: Talk

**Chapter 9: Talk  
**

Cassieopeia and Riley walked slowly through the dark halls of Hogwarts, listening for a sign of errant Marauders or patrolling teachers. Cassieopeia was walking as she always did, eyes forward, steps purposeful. She glanced back every once in a while to check on Riley, who was unfolding and refolding the directions to the headmaster's office every few turns or so.

"You gonna talk about this morning?" Riley teased, immediately glancing over to make sure her friend was not offended.

Cassieopeia shrugged, thinking back for a brief moment before deciding to leave those daydreams for later. Instead she glanced over her rather reckless friend. As Nox held up the paper and squinted at the elegant writing, Cassieopeia roughly reached out and yanked her friend to the right, narrowly keeping her from walking into a very large suit of armor. Riley laughed her thank you and as they kept walking, the girl who should have been in Slytherin was left with renewed determination that nothing was going to happen to the idiot beside her. No matter how little Riley seemed to care.

"So _you_ find a new crush yet?" Cassieopeia asked finally, attempting to distract her friend from her study of the two sentences in front of her.

"Ha." Said Riley. "How about several." She shook her head in mock self-disgust and laughed, finally setting away the note. "Too bad all the boys here are crazy."

"Yes." Laughed Cassieopeia. She glanced ahead, thinking that the gargoyle they were looking for should be down the next flight of stairs and she didn't quite catch Riley's next words. "Sorry?"

"Nothing."

"_What?_" Cassieopeia laughed, watching Nox skip down the stairs two by two.

Riley hesitated, biting her lip. Then she gave an enormous shrug. "I said, Remus isn't too crazy. Whatever his choice in recreant friends." She gave a slight smirk.

"Oh, you can flirt with Black but I can't—"

"You weren't just flirting." Riley interrupted, teasing. "I know a super crush when I see one." She paused. "We'll need to give him a nickname, you realize. Just like all our old crushes."

"Lupin isn't a 'super crush'! He's just…" But Cassieopeia trailed off with a sigh.

"Yeah. That's what I thought." Riley said, her face smug. She jumped the last couple stairs and frowned as she caught sight of Dumbledore's gargoyles. "Mmm."

"None of this is going to last, anyway." Cassieopeia said with a frown. "After all this, we're going to go home." But her voice sounded reluctant, even to her. What was really waiting back there? Cassieopeia against shook off her thoughts as she saw that Riley wasn't replying. "Nox, don't' worry. We have far too much to worry about for me to mess with dating."

They arrived at the gargoyle and stopped to stare up at it, matching its ugly face with their mocking expressions until Riley finally spoke back.

"I think you're wrong." She said slowly. She made one more silly face for good measure and then she added, "For you, I think Lupin is the best guy you could meet. And you know what he loses: he could use someone like you who understands. Who can make him buck up a bit." Riley shook her head. "You two clicked, don't deny it."

"I could say the same about you and—" Cassieopeia started, glancing down the empty hallways as she remembered Nox's laughing conversations.

"No, you couldn't." Riley interrupted, shaking her head. Cassieopeia waited with caught breath, wondering what Riley was up to. "Oh, you know I always mess these things up because I don't know if I want them. I mean, even if I did, I don't belong here… but I guess…Oh, phooey. Who knows if he even… Skip that." Riley waved a hand dismissively and Cassieopeia rolled her eyes, not in the least surprised. "Just give him a shot if he wants one." Riley said. "He's no Hann."

"Ugh!" Cassieopeia replied, this being the only word to describe her previous romantic flummox. "Whatever you say, Nox. Now shall we go up? Mars Bar."

The door swung open to reveal a set of stone stairs and then Riley was shaking her head.

"I think…" She frowned and took a hesitant step back. "I think I'll let you two hash things out first. I could use some sleep."

Cassieopeia eyed her friend thoughtfully. "Nox?" Nox shrugged. "Well, good night."

"Have fun scolding the principal… I mean headmaster." Riley rolled her eyes and walked away, disappearing behind a suit of armor as she turned a corner. For a moment Cassieopeia thought she heard Riley talking again, but she dismissed it and turned back to the gargoyle, assuming that Riley was singing or scolding Boo again.

"Here goes nothing." Cassieopeia sighed. And she marched up the spiral staircase, feeling only slightly trapped as the door swung closed behind her.

.

Cassieopeia's first thought on entering Dumbledore's office was that Riley was going to be very sorry she'd missed this. She could practically hear Riley's future dry remarks on how it was unfortunate visiting the headmaster's office was inconvenienced with talking to the headmaster. But even the idiotic wit of her friend faded from Cassieopeia Black's mind as she stared around the shelves and shelves of books and devices that she itched to examine. The Sorting Hat was crumpled just out of her reach on a shelf to her right. Cassieopeia looked back to the headmaster's desk and gasped: there was even a phoenix resting on its perch beside Dumbledore's desk.

Cassieopeia stepped through the door with a brief knock on the frame, walking up to the bird and staring into its molten eyes. The bird ruffled its brilliant red feathers and stretched its neck out, reaching toward her curiously. Cassieopeia raised a hand and softly stroked the bird's beautiful head all thoughts of distrust and anger and fear fading weirdly away. The bird let out a comforting squawk and she remember Riley's hope, she thought maybe they would survive, maybe they would go home. Maybe, somehow, everything would be alright…

"His name is Fawkes."

Cassieopeia jumped at Dumbledore's voice and turned to stare coldly at the old man. His eyes twinkled but he smiled apologetically, seeming to know the feelings he had just disrupted. If nothing else, he could certainly see the stern distrust in her expression. But she replied with only one, neutral word.

"Fawkes?"

"Yes." Dumbledore told her, walking into the room from another door and making his way to his desk. "Quite a fascinating creature he is, as well."

"Mmm." Cassieopeia replied, giving Fawkes one last pet and then taking the chair Dumbledore summoned out of thin air for her.

"But yes, to business." Dumbledore said merrily. Then he peered over his half-moon spectacles, as though to x-ray the girl's response as he spoke his next words. "But your friend is not coming?"

"Riley?" Cassieopeia asked. "No. No, I don't think she believed you were going to answer our questions." She said truthfully, if with a bit of misdirection.

"Pity." Dumbledore said. "I could have used another pair of eyes for something." He brought his arms out in a shrug.

"But you don't want mine?" Cassieopeia said.

"Well, I will show you, of course." Dumbledore said kindly. "But you seem to me to bit of a favorer of the direct approach. Like me." He waved his wand and a small box floated over from one of the many shelves, landing daintily on Cassieopeia's waiting hand. "Take a look and then we shall discuss your reasons for visiting."

Cassieopeia opened the box and frowned as she saw its contents. "What on earth is this?" She asked.

Dumbledore let out a polite laugh. "That's exactly what I hoped Riley might tell me." He admitted, taking the box and dumping its contents on the desk. The puddle of cloud like liquid oozed dreamily through the air and settled happily on the desk, reminding Cassieopeia oddly of a cat curling up in its owners lap. She shook the thought from her head and leaned forward to stare at the strange gaseous liquid. Or was it a liquid gas?

"It looks like memories." Cassieopeia said slowly. "But…"

"But, indeed." Dumbledore agreed pleasantly, watching the puddle as it began to float lazily away. "But it came from the two of you; I found it at your, er, arrival site…. And of course, I have never seen gold memories."

"No." Cassieopeia agreed and she stared somberly at the strange magic, memorizing the pale, soft glitter of the gentle gold. Then she shook her head irritably, turning to glare at Dumbledore. "But you said we were going to talk."

"Of course, Miss Black." Dumbledore said agreeably. "What would you like to ask me?"

Cassieopeia hesitated, running through all her own fears and worries and angers but in the end she gave Riley's. "Is there a prophecy about us?"

Dumbledore frowned.

"There is!" Cassieopeia hissed, leaning forward and waiting to hear what the headmaster would have to say about it.

"Yes." Dumbledore said slowly. "And two people know the contents."

"Who?" Cassieopeia demanded but Dumbledore was still speaking.

"And I think that is enough for now." He finished.

There was a long and awkward silence broken only by the sound of Fawke's wings as he moved to rest on Cassieopeia's shoulder. Cassieopeia ignored the bird and continued glaring at the old man. Finally he spoke again.

"For now." He repeated. "I think it best if the two of you decide on your path, if the two of you come of age before you hear what may be in store for you." Cassieopeia said nothing. "All the more so because I believe the prophecy will be clearer to the two of you if you have time to decide on your roles."

"Roles?" Cassieopeia slowly shook her head. "Voldemort is evil. Our role is to fight him."

"Is it?" Dumbledore asked. "That is just the problem!" His eyes rested for a moment on the gold vapor now floating a few inches above his desk and then on Fawkes: then he stood abruptly and summoned a Pensieve from his closet. "The roles you play will be very different, if the prophecy is to be believed. And then who knows? Your own choices may make the prophecy moot." He waved his wand at the bowl and Cassieopeia saw a young woman rise up to speak in a beautiful, songlike tone.

"The two with the knowledge to vanquish the Dark Lord will arrive as August rises and evil grows… The warrior and the spy, torn willingly from their lives, will be found where the Dark Lord first battled the one he fears most…"

Dumbledore waved his wand again and the recorded prophecy cut off. "The prophecy speaks of the fate of the warrior and the fate of the spy." He told her. "But if you were to both choose to fight, or both choose to join the ranks of Voldemort's army to destroy him from within… You see, there are other ways you could succeed. You must choose your roles by yourselves or you may_ lose_ yourselves." He said urgently, tapping the Pensieve for emphasis. But Cassieopeia was not listening.

"What fates?" She asked slowly, her eyes on the silent seer. Dumbledore said nothing. "_What fates?_"

"Miss Black, I do not think it is best to say. They are not written in stone. Not yet."

Cassieopeia stood up, her small frame rising from the chair to press both hands against Dumbledore's desk, knuckles turning stark white. The cloud of gold shifted irritably and moved away, but she paid it no attention. "_What is going to happen to Riley?"_

Dumbledore watched the girl sadly for a moment and then shook his head. "I don't know." He said gently. Cassieopeia shook her head. "Cassieopeia, we cannot know."

"Oh, please." Cassieopeia snorted. "You know who Riley's been hanging out with. She's the spy."

"Maybe." Dumbledore agreed calmly. "But she will have to make that decision for herself. Just as she made the decision to stay here." He smiled. "Just as she will have to make the decision to come see me."

"Good luck with that." Cassieopeia told him. Fawkes squawked in agreement and she let out a little smile. "Especially if you're going to be hiding things from us." She added seriously.

"I can only assure you and Miss Nox that my motives, as questionable as they seem to you, are the same as yours." Dumbledore said calmly. "But you know that."

"It's not what we know that's the problem…" Cassieopeia groaned. "Or…" She shook her head. "There's too much at stake to trust anyone."

"Ah…" Dumbledore sighed, sitting back down and looking across as the young woman with a sad shake of his head. "And yet, that is all Voldemort needs for the side of evil to triumph." He watched Cassieopeia's eyes narrow. "I suppose I cannot ask that you trust me. The risks you have taken demand that I give you the benefit of the doubt, but I still believe there are some things you should not know. Not yet, Miss Black. Just understand that this is all up to you; the prophecy cannot tell you who you are. And it cannot ensure your victory… or indeed, it cannot ensure your defeat! It can only hint." Cassieopeia watched him silently, knowing that his words were not doing anything to quell the curiosity the prophecy had sparked. "Miss Black, I ask only that you trust your friends." Dumbledore finished.

Cassieopeia nodded, but she had to get the last word. With the thought of not only Riley, but of Remus and the Marauders, of the other Gryffindor girls and their part in the war that was creeping nearer and nearer to the halls of Hogwarts, Cassieopeia shook her head and stared the headmaster straight in the eye with her warning.

"And I only ask that they survive."

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Author's note:

Ok, so more than one chapter a week is not happening. Nope. And writing Cassy is super hard guys! Super hard!

Louise: Lol, that was my reaction when I wrote Remus and Cass too, actually; struggled with it for a while. But I think, they're both going to be so equally empathetic I want them to just kinda mesh… Sirius and Riley though? Uh, uh. Not for a looooong time at the very least. She's actually going to be with someone else this book… dundundun. Plus there's someone else attempting for Sirius' heart.

Sure on this shining why is your name different?: More marauders soon, more Remus and Cassy in a bit. You're awesome.

Emerald: Thanks for all the reviews! Super good to hear. And no, the Slytherin Riley relationships do not seem likely to end well...

C.B. Weasley: :)

Sunstrike:... #1No. You've got it backwards. Sorry. Check the picks on my home page and you'll see: but I'll start adding more descriptors. #2: I'm not honestly sure. I've been thinking it like it rhymes with Ethiopia.

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Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Love,

Pumpkin


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